Robotic surgeries set to soar under NHS plans for England

Credit: iStock/Georgiy Datsenko

By Ella Pickover, PA Media

The use of robotic surgery is set to soar in the NHS in England under plans to expedite care for patients.

In a decade's time, nine in 10 of all keyhole surgeries will be delivered with robot assistance – up from one in five at present, health officials said.

In 2023/24, some 70,000 robot-assisted surgeries were carried out in the NHS in England, but the number is expected to rise to around half a million over the next 10 years.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who had robot-assisted surgery when he had treatment for kidney cancer, said that innovative technologies will “transform the NHS”.

NHS England said that patients who have robotic assisted-surgery tend to recover quicker and are able to leave hospital sooner.

Experts said that robotic surgery allows “greater dexterity and are easier to manipulate” compared to traditional surgery.

Surgeons control instruments using a console and a camera.

In some orthopaedic procedures, robots are programmed to perform elements of procedures.